Black Sabbath has announced that because of the popularity of its career-ending tour it has extended the tour well into 2016. The band announced Monday that it has added yet another run of North American dates that will see the band performing well into next fall. The new schedule kicks off August 17th at Jones Beach Amphitheater in New York and includes dates in Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Toronto, Detroit, and Dallas. The whole thing winds down September 21st at Ak-Chin Pavilion in Phoenix, Arizona. Audiences can check out an updated video announcement about the additional dates online now via YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6lYClpPGLw&feature=youtu.be.

Courtesy: Republic Records/Live Nation

The band’s updated tour schedule is listed below complete with its newly announced North American Fall 206 dates.

BLACK SABBATH’s 2016 Tour Dates are as follows:

NORTH AMERICA

Wed

1/20

Omaha, NE

CenturyLink Center

Fri

1/22

Chicago, IL

United Center

Mon

1/25

Minneapolis, MN

Target Center

Wed

1/27

Winnipeg MN

MTS Centre

Sat

1/30

Edmonton, AB

Rexall Centre

Mon

2/1

Calgary, AB

Scotiabank Saddledome

Wed

2/3

Vancouver, BC

Rogers Arena

Sat

2/6

Tacoma, WA

Tacoma Dome

Tue

2/9

San Jose, CA

SAP Pavilion

Thu

2/11

Los Angeles, CA

The Forum

Sat

2/13

Las Vegas, NV

Mandalay Bay

Mon

2/15

Denver, CO

Pepsi Center

Wed

2/17

Kansas City, MO

Sprint Center

Fri

2/19

Detroit, MI

The Palace of Auburn Hills

Sun

2/21

Hamilton, ON

First Ontario Centre

Tue

2/23

Montreal, QC

Bell Centre

Thu

2/25

New York, NY

Madison Square Garden

Sat

2/27

New York, NY

Madison Square Garden

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND

Fri

4/15

Perth, AU

Perth Arena

Sun

4/17

Adelaide,AU

Entertainment Centre

Tue

4/19

Melbourne,AU

Rod Laver Arena

Sat

4/23

Sydney,AU

Allphones Arena

Mon

4/25

Brisbane, AU

Entertainment Centre

Thurs

4/28

Auckland,NZ

Vector Arena

Sat

4/30

Dunedin,NZ

Forsyth Barr Stadium

EUROPE

Wed

6/1

Budapest,Hungary

Groupama Arena

Wed

6/8

Berlin, Germany

Waldebuhne

**Sat

6/11

Donington, UK

Download

Mon

6/13

Verona, IT

Arena Di Verona

Wed

6/15

Zurich, Switzerland

Hallenstadon

**Fri

6/17

Dessel,Belgium

Grasspop

**Thu

6/23

Halden, Norway

Tons of Rock

**Sat

6/25

Copenhagen, DE

Copenhell

Tue

6/28

Vienna, Austria

Stadthalle

Thu

6/30

Prague, Czech Rep.

02 Arena

Sat

7/2

Krakow, Poland

Tauron Arena

Tue

7/5

Riga, Latvia

Riga Arena

**Thu

7/7

Helsinki, Finland

Monsters of Rock

**Sat

7/9

Stockholm, Sweden

Monsters of Rock

Tue

7/12

Moscow, Russia

Olympisky Arena

**Denotes festival appearance

NORTH AMERICA

Wed

8/17

Wantagh, NY

Nikon at Jones Beach Theater

Fri

8/19

Philadelphia, PA

Susquehanna Bank Center

Sun

8/21

Washington DC

Jiffy Lube Live

Tue

8/23

Holmdel, NJ

PNC Bank Arts Center

Thu

8/25

Boston, MA

Xfinity Center

Sat

8/27

Uncasville, CT

Mohegan Sun Arena

Mon

8/29

Toronto, ON

Molson Canadian Amphitheatre

Wed

8/31

Detroit, MI

DTE Energy Music Theater

Fri

9/2

Indianapolis, IN

Klipsch Music Center

Sun

9/4

Chicago, IL

Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre

Wed

9/7

Dallas, TX

Gexa Energy Pavilion

Fri

9/9

Albuquerque, NM

Isleta Ampitheater

Sun

9/11

Salt Lake City, UT

USANA Ampitheater

Tue

9/13

Portland, OR

Sunlight Supply Arena

Thu

9/15

Oakland, CA

Oracle Arena

Sat

9/17

Las Vegas, NV

MGM Grand Garden Arena

Mon

9/19

Hollywood, CA

Hollywood Bowl

Wed

9/21

Phoenix, AZ

AK-Chin Pavilion

Information on tickets, VIP packages and more for the band’s upcoming North American dates is available online now at http://www.Livenation.com. More information on Black Sabbath, its upcoming tour dates, and more is available online now at:

The end is near. No, not armageddon. Legendary hard rock act Black Sabbath made the announcement today that Black Sabbath will embark on its farewell tour next year.
Black Sabbath–Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, and Tony Iommi–announced today that it will hit the road next January for its final tour. Audiences can see the announcement for themselves online now via Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYCvRV5ME3w&feature=youtu.be.

Courtesy: Republic Records/Live Nation

The band’s current schedule sees it opening its tour on January 20th in Omaha, Nebraska and running through February 25th at New York’s famed Madison Square Gardens. From there the band will take some time off to recharge before hitting the road again down under beginning April 15th in Perth, Australia. The band’s current slate of dates is listed below. It is only the current schedule. More dates will be announced next month.

Photo Credit: Mark Weiss

North American Tour Dates

1/20

Omaha, NE

CenturyLink Center

1/22

Chicago, IL

United Center

1/25

Minneapolis, MN

Target Center

1/28

Saskatoon, SK

Sasktel Centre

1/30

Edmonton, AB

Rexall Centre

2/1

Calgary, ON

Scotiabank Saddledome

2/3

Vancouver, BC

Rogers Arena

2/6

Tacoma, WA

Tacoma Dome

2/9

San Jose, CA

SAP Center

2/11

Los Angeles, CA

The Forum

2/13

Las Vegas, NV

Mandalay Bay Events Center

2/15

Denver, CO

Pepsi Center

2/17

Kansas City, MO

Sprint Center

2/19

Detroit, MI

The Palace of Auburn Hills

2/21

Hamilton, ON

FirstOntario Centre

2/23

Montreal, QB

Bell Centre

2/25

New York City, NY

Madison Square Garden

Australia/New Zealand Tour Dates

4/15

Perth

Perth Arena

4/17

Adelaide

Entertainment Centre

4/19

Melbourne

Rod Laver Arena

4/23

Sydney

Allphones Arena

4/25

Brisbane

Entertainment Centre

4/28

Auckland

Vector Arena

4/30

Dunedin

Forsyth Barr Stadium

Fans can get information on tickets, VIP packages, and more for the North American leg of the upcoming tour online now via Live Nation’s official website at http://www.Livenation.com. More information on Black Sabbath’s tour is available online now along with all of the band’s latest news at:

It’s getting ever more expensive to attend a live concert nowadays. The cost of a pair of tickets alone can run a person well over a hundred dollars. Factor in the cost of gas, food, souvenirs, and potentially even lodging, and a person can spend quite a bit on just one concert. The cost of tickets alone is about to go up even more in 2014 for residents of one state thanks to a new tax law that will go into effect in 2014. Taking all of this into account, it becomes increasingly wise to just pick up a live recording of one’s favorite band, musician, or musical group. The question is which live releases are well worth the one-time cost for audiences that would rather save some money while enjoying a great concert? One recommendation is Black Sabbath’s new live Blu-ray and DVD, Black Sabbath Live..Gathered in their Masses. The first live recording from the band in many years, this live concert recording is one of the best live recordings of 2013. It is so worthwhile first and foremost because of its set list. The show’s set list more than lives up to the oft-used term, career-spanning. Just as important to note in this concert is the band’s very performance. While one band member is noticeably absent, he is replaced quite effectively by another individual. And his frenetic energy combined with that of the remaining original members exudes something almost magical. Last but not least important to consider in this concert is the audio and video mix. Both the audio and video are expertly mixed. The camera crews take viewers up close with the band throughout the near two-hour concert. It only adds to that magical sense, completing the overall presentation and making this new recording one that fans both of Black Sabbath and hard rock in general will enjoy time and again.

The term “career-defining” is far too often tossed around for live performances. Far too many of those recordings are in fact anything but career defining. In the case of Black Sabbath though, that term is more than deserved. The band includes nearly every one of the hits that have continued to make it the paramount band that it has remained for decades despite being inactive just as long. ‘War Pig’s’ opens the show as are the equally beloved ‘Iron Man’ and ‘Black Sabbath.’ It’s all bookended by another massive hit in ‘Paranoid.’ Those that are hoping for something more recent get that, too in the form of ‘Methademic’, ‘End of the Beginning’ and ‘God Is Dead?’ These songs comprise just part of the band’s extensive set list. There are plenty more songs included in this show that play into its success. Audiences will each have their favorites when they pick up the new recording for themselves on Blu-ray and DVD.

The set list chosen for this concert is part of the heart of the concert’s success. Just as important to the success of the recording is the band’s onstage presence. It’s incredible to think how many years had passed since Ozzy, Geezer, and Tony had performed together under the Black Sabbath moniker. Drummer Bill Ward was not on hand. Allegedly there are some hurt feelings between him and his now former band mates for some reason. That’s not what’s important here, though. Tommy Clufetos, who records and tours with Ozzy’s own band, handles drum duties on this concert. And he more than handles his appointed duties, too. He plays with the same intensity of a young John Bonham. That’s evident both in the case of his work with the rest of the band and on his solos. The rest of the band seems to feed off of Clufetos’ energy, too. That energy is evident throughout the band’s performance, too. The band may be years older, but they definitely got their audience just as energetic and excited. Home viewers will feel it, too. And that’s just one more aspect of this recording that makes it one of the year’s best.

The set list and stage presence of Ozzy and company are both extremely important in the overall enjoyment of Black Sabbath’s new live recording. There is still one more factor to consider in examining this recording. That factor is the recording’s combined audio and video mix. The audio and video mix of any live recording is its foundation. Far too often, people take this factor for granted. But there are those recordings that suffer in these areas because of someone that is either inexperienced or simply doesn’t care to do their job the right way. Luckily for Black Sabbath fans, that isn’t the case here. The video and audio were both expertly mixed. Even as large as the venue was, the audio is crisp and clear. The same can be said for the video mix. It works with the set list and the band’s overall stage show to make Black Sabbath Live…Gathered in Their Masses a recording that is just as worth the money as going to see Black Sabbath live if not more so. It is available now in stores and online.

Black Sabbath founding members Ozzy Osbourne and Geezer Butler are set to make a special appearance at the Los Angeles’ Grammy Museum next month. The special appearance is part of a promotional tour supporting the release of the band’s new live DVD, Black Sabbath Live…Gathered In Their Masses

Ozzy and Geezer will take part in a Q&A session and special early screening of the band’s new live DVD during its appearance. The whole thing will be held at the museum’s Clive Davis Theater. During the Q&A session, Ozzy and Geezer will share with fans their thoughts on the band’s reunion, a #1 album in 13 and the band’s hugely successful world tour among other topics. More information on the event is available online at http://www.grammymuseum.org.

Black Sabbath Live…Gathered In Their Masses will be available on Tuesday, November 25th. It will be available on DVD, Blu-ray, combo pack, and deluxe box set. The concert presented in the upcoming release was recorded April 29th and May 1st in Melbourne, Australia as the band kicked off its world tour in support of 13. The band is currently on the road, touring across South America and Mexico. Once that leg is done, the band will head overseas to tour Europe in November and December. A full listing of the band’s current tour dates and more is available online at http://www.blacksabbath.com, http://www.facebook.com/BlackSabbath, and http://twitter.com/OfficialSabbath. To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Black Sabbath has officially announced that it will release a brand new live DVD this Fall. The band, which just finished off the American leg of its worldwide tour, will release its new live DVD, titled Black Sabbath: Live…Gathered in their Masses on November 26th,. It will be released via Vertigo/Republic Records. The performance contained on the new live DVD was recorded between April 29th and May 1st, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia.

Having wrapped up the American leg of its tour, Black Sabbath is set to make its way to South American next. The South American and Mexican leg of the band’s tour kicks off Friday, October 4th in Santiago, Chile. After wrapping its South American and Mexican tour, the band is expected to make its way across Europe through November and December. A full listing of the band’s upcoming tour dates is available online at http://www.facebook.com/BlackSabbath, http://www.blacksabbath.com, and http://twitter.comOfficialSabbath.

The band’s new release, 13, debuted at #1 in thirteen countries. That includes the United States. The album’s #1 debut marks the very first #1 in the U.S.

Black Sabbath’s decades in the making album, 13 will finally see the light of day tomorrow, Tuesday, June 11th. In celebration, the band—Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi—will hold a special live Town Hall via Google+ Hangout. It will be streamed live on Google+ and YouTube. The Town Hall will also be broadcast live on Ozzy’s Boneyard on SiriusXM at 7:00pm EDT. The band will be joined by both Ozzy’s son Jack (who directed the clips to launch 13) and Rage Against The Machine drummer Brad Wilk (who covered the drums on the album) for the event. Osbourne and Butler will appear live at the Angel Orensanz Foundation for Contemporary Art while Tony Iommi will appear live from Birmingham, England. Jack Obsourne and Brad Wilk will be on hand live from Los Angeles for the presentation. Comedian Jim Norton will host the show. Norton is a co-host of the Opie and Anthony Show on SiriusXM, and is also a host on Ozzy’s Boneyard.

Viewers can tune in to the special event live on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/officialsabbath. Fans that have SiriusXM can tune in to the even on Ozzy’s Boneyard on channel 38 and through the SiriusXM Internet Radio app for smart phones and other connected devices. Audiences can also watch the event online at http://www.siriusxm.com

It goes without saying after having listened to it that Black Sabbath’s 13 is one of the best hard rock/metal albums of 2013. This record has been decades in the making. And the wait was well worth it, even with someone other than Bill Ward on drums. Ozzy’s vocals and Tony Iommi’s guitar work are at their peak throughout this record. So many rock bands have tried hard to emulate Sabbath’s sound since its breakup so long ago. But few if any have managed to come close since then. So it is nice to have one of rock’s elite back (even if one member isn’t present) to reclaim its proper place in rock’s upper echelons.

Right from the opening moments of the album’s opener, ‘End of the Beginning’, listeners know they are in for something special on this record. Geezer’s bass and Tony’s guitar work are pummeling along with Brad Wilk (Rage Against The Machine) on drums in the song’s opening moments before laying back to let Ozzy’s haunting vocals take the spotlight. Rick Rubin actually made the right choice bringing in Wilk to cover the drums in place of Bill Ward for this record. When the rest of the band comes back in, the combined wound will take audiences back to Black Sabbath’s glory days. Ozzy, Tony, and Geezer show that they are still the originators and have not lost a single step along the way. It’s like old times. As Ozzy sings here, “Don’t look back/Live for today/Tomorrow is too late.” It couldn’t have been better said considering this band’s history.

13 offers listeners plenty of heaviness. For all the heavy moments, worthy of raising the horns high, it also has a more subdued moment in the song, ‘Zeitgeist.’ This is such an interesting song in that it is a full-on acoustic opus. In lieu of drums, Wilk has opted instead for perhaps a pair of bongos. And Tony and Geezer have both gone acoustic, too. There is something about this combination (along with Ozzy’s vocals) that makes for a work that could easily be compared to the likes Pink Floyd, believe it or not. It is also the album’s shortest track. It clocks in at just over four and a half minutes long. In that short time, it makes for one of the album’s most interesting moments.

If any one song on this new album stands out more than the others, it is ‘Live Forever.’ This is the second shortest song on the record. It comes in at just under five minutes long. It’s also one of the album’s heaviest numbers. Yet again, it’s more proof that Ozzy and company haven’t lost any steam in the three decades plus since the band’s last album. Of course, having mega-producer Rick Rubin manning the boards doesn’t hurt, either. Rubin really brought out the best of the band on this track. Tony’s guitar solos are incredible to say the least. They are the sort of solos that will have young guitarists around the world trying to emulate him, putting their own takes on his work on YouTube. And yet again, Brad Wilk is just as impressive behind the kit. He shows here, and throughout the record just how versatile he is as a drummer, pounding out some impressive polyrhythmic patters without missing a second. And Ozzy sounds more in control of his vocals here than anywhere else on the album. That isn’t to say that he sounds bad anywhere else. The way that Ozzy laments in this song, “I don’t mind dying/Cause I’m already dead/Pray not for the living/I live in your head/Dying is easy/It’s living that’s hard/I’m losing the battle/Between Satan and God” could so easily be interpreted in direct relation to everything that Ozzy has gone through in recent years. Considering recent reports concerning his admission to having been addicted to certain substances over recent years, instead of staying clean, it sounds like a personal statement that he perhaps felt during that time. If so, it’s a powerful statement, especially with the song’s musical backing. Though interestingly enough, the rest of the song sounds like a tongue in cheek stab at the religious establishment, considering Ozzy is actually anything but the “Prince of Darkness” that he has been made out to be.

‘Live Forever’ is one of the best of the best on Black Sabbath’s new album, 13. It musical side and lyrical side together make it quite the interesting track. Though, it’s just one of eight total tracks on the band’s new album that any long-time Black Sabbath fan will enjoy. There are seven other tracks on this disc that any true metal and hard rock purist from which they can choose as their favorite. The album will be available in stores and online June 11th via Republic Records. The band will tour in support of the album beginning July 25th in The Woodlands, Texas. Fans can keep up with the band’s tour dates and more on its official Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/BlackSabbath and on its official website, http://www.blacksabbath.com.